Parental Concern
by Starcrossedlover12
Summary: Sequel to 'Sleeping Dragon'. One small misunderstanding leads to pandemonium as Natsu and Lucy joke about their 'baby'- Lucy's notebook. The guild, of course, take it the wrong way. Utter chaos ensues as the whole of Fiore seems to have the wrong idea... One-shot.


**OMG :O I didn't know how popular **_**Sleeping Dragon**_** would be- it was seriously just a silly idea off the top of my head but you guys loved it! Feeling so grateful and inspired right now- thanks to everyone who read **_**Sleeping Dragon**_** and reviewed- I'd be nothing without you :)**

**Because you all liked it so much, I've written a little sequel. Enjoy!**

**xxx**

Lucy tapped her pen against her chin.

What was a better word for 'bad boy'?

She was desperately working on the characterization for the anti-hero of a little short piece she was working on and needed ideas.

"Maybe I should call Levy…?" She mused.

"Hey, Lucy!" Natsu stuck his head over her shoulder. "Whatcha writin'?"

"Natsu!" Lucy's hand flew over the page.

He stuck his tongue out. "Why're you hiding it from me? I know- I bet it's embarrassing! Lemme see it!" He made a grab for the notebook, but Lucy slammed it shut and held it to get chest.

"Forget it, Natsu!" She snapped. "This is my most important thing right here!"

Natsu looked confused. "What? A book?"

"Yes," Lucy said. "This is my most important writer's notebook. It's like my baby."

Natsu frowned a little. "Tch. So it's more important than anyone at the guild? More important than Levy, Erza, Grey and…me?"

It was only a slight pause, but Lucy caught it and when she looked up at him, he looked away quickly.

"No way," She muttered, smiling a little. "Are you jealous of a notebook?"

Natsu made a face at her. "Hah! Who'd be jealous of your silly old notebook anyhow? I don't care if you like it more than me!"

But something in his eyes gave him away.

Lucy sighed and opened the cover and scrawled '_Natsu_' on the back of it.

"There." She smiled. "Now it's kinda your baby too."

Natsu stared at her, then burst out laughing. "Lucy, you're so weird!"

"Shut up!" She snapped, going a little pink. "I was being deep and meaningful!'

Natsu gave her one of his brilliant grins. "You? Never!"

xxx

"You know," Cana said. "I've got a date tonight. Maybe Natsu and Lucy would wanna double with me?"

Wakaba laughed. "You don't want to get in the way of young love, Cana."

Cana kicked him, irritated. "You tryin' to imply I'm not young?"

"I just meant they're immature!" Wakaba protested.

Erza, who had overheard, quickly left the vicinity of the conversation.

Grey shook his head. "How the hell did a guy like Natsu ever get a babe like Lucy?"

"Don't tell me Grey-sama loves Lucy?!" Juvia squealed.

"Calm down." Levy told her. "He's gonna get with you and everyone knows it."

"That Natsu." Makarov shook his head. "Who'd have thought?"

Mirajane, the only one in the entire guild who knew about the miscommunication there had been in the couples' affairs, made no move to correct this. Happy was the only other one who might be able to correct the situation, but he and Carla had just started dating and he was way too busy to care very much.

_Ah, well._ She smiled. _I'm sure they'll either figure it out or time with make it the truth._

It was then that Lucy walked in.

She had been up all night, trying to think of a plot with no luck and had the dark circles under her eyes to show for it.

She slumped down at the bar. "Ugh, coffee please, Mira-chan."

"Tiring night, Lucy?" Mirajane enquired.

Eavesdropping as usual, everyone in the guild turned red, thinking of what might have possibly tired her out.

"Yeah," Lucy rubbed her sore neck. "Didn't help that Natsu was over. That guy can really keep a girl up."

"Holy hell." Cana muttered.

"Still underage!" Wendy squealed, running out of the room.

Gajeel chuckled.

"My, my." Mirajane said mildly.

"In fact," Lucy got to her feet. "I think I'll have my coffee in the garden. A little sunlight would do me good."

"Sure thing."

As she walked out of the back door, Natsu walked in.

Macao patted him on the back reverently. "Congratulations, son," He said. "You're now a man."

"Er," Natsu blinked. "What?"

Makarov looked close to tears too. "And I remember when you were just a little brat and here you are keeping a girl up at night."

"Er," Natsu said again, used to the guild's weirdness. "Whatever, Master. Say, Grey, Erza- we should do a request together again!"

"Would Lucy come?" Grey enquired.

"Eh? Yeah- of course!"

"No!" Erza said, leaping to her feet, red-faced. "I refuse to be in the same tent as you two as you…you…" Unable to finish, she ran out.

"Huh." Natsu said. "What's up with Erza?"

"She's just realizing what she and Jellal are gonna have to do at some point." Grey shrugged.

"You know, Salamander," Gajeel said slyly. "Lucy looked pretty _tired_ this morning."

The entire guild smirked in unison.

Natsu thought back and remembered Lucy scribbling away in her notebook.

"Oh yeah," He said. "That would be her baby."

Dead silence.

"Erm," Mirajane said eventually, as everyone else was rendered unable to speak for the moment. Erza, who had stumbled back in, almost fainted. "What?"

Natsu frowned. "Didn't she tell you? Her baby."

"L-Lucy…" Grey managed. "Is…c-carrying a-a-a-"

"Baby?" Bisca squeaked.

"Yeah," Natsu nodded, not registering how everyone's bottom jaws were on the floor at this point. He remembered Lucy's declaration and a slight blush came to his cheeks. "Wanna know the best thing?" He grinned.

The guild couldn't reply, but Natsu went on regardless.

"It's my baby too!" He grinned. "Well, better go train. See you guys later!"

He jumped up and strolled out into the garden.

There was silence for a few more seconds.

xxx

Lucy toyed with her pen, she almost had it.

She just needed a little more silence, a little more-

"_**WHAT**__**?!**_"

Lucy fell off her chair.

xxx

Two hours later, after shooing Natsu away, the fires of inspiration were finally lit and Lucy had the outline for her story.

She strolled back into the guild, a smile on her face.

"Hey, every…er, what are you guys doing?"

The whole guild was huddled in a close circle around a table, whispering to each other.

When they spotted her, they leapt apart, almost guiltily.

"Oh, Lu-chan!" Levy flew across the room to hug her. "I think you're so brave!"

"Er," Lucy stared at her. "Thank…you?"

"Don't crowd her, Levy. She needs her space." Erza gulped.

"What's…um, what's all this about?" Lucy asked.

"Natsu told us," Makarov said seriously. "About your baby."

_All this fuss over a notebook? Well, the guild _can_ be strange._

"Oh," Lucy smiled and shook her head. "He told you, did he?"

"So it's true!" Romeo breathed.

"We just want you to know," Juvia said, holding her hands. "That we will support you no matter what! And Juvia no longer sees you as a rival for Grey-sama's love!"

"Um, okay…?"

"You can do it, Lucy!" Cana cheered.

"We'll help you every step of the way." Grey nodded.

"Count on us!" Lisanna said.

"Wow," Lucy stared at them all. She never knew they would be so supportive of her writing career. "Thanks, you guys."

Erza even managed a smile. "We'll definitely protect you."

Natsu walked in from training. "Hey, everyone!"

"Natsu!" Makarov swept out his arm. "We were just telling Lucy how much we will support her. And you, obviously."

"Oh," Natsu said, then grinned. "Well…thanks for that!" _Whatever that means…_

"Natsu," Lucy snapped. "I don't want you keeping me awake all night again!"

"But Lucy-!" Natsu whined.

"She's right, Natsu," Levy crossed her arms. "It's bad for the baby."

"It certainly is bad for my baby!" The guild thought nothing of it as Lucy brandished her notebook as she said this- only Mirajane was touched with suspicion.

"Oh yeah, that reminds me," Natsu handed Lucy the small bag he'd been carrying. Lucy looked in and squealed. Her favourite chocolates. "For you and the baby!" Natsu joked.

"Awww!" The guild cooed around them.

"I had my doubts," Cana said. "But Natsu will make a great dad."

"Good luck, Natsu!" Alzack called.

"The guild sure are being nice today, huh?" Lucy said as she and Natsu walked out into the garden, everyone's eyes following them.

"Sure are!" Natsu laughed. "I don't know what's gotten into them."

xxx

"Okay!" Lucy slammed down at the bar two days later. "Mira-chan, life is so weird right now!"

"Oh?" Mirajane smiled. "Why is that?"

"Okay, get this," Lucy threw a pile of letters on the table. "I've received a 'Congratulations' card from Lamia Scale which everyone has signed and Lyon Bastia has even promised to visit. I have a card from Blue Pegasus _and_ they sent me a coupon for babysitting nights covered by Hibiki and Master Bob! Why the _hell_ would I need that?"

"Lucy," Mirajane said, getting straight to the point. "Are you pregnant?"

"_Wha_-?!" Lucy gaped. "N-no! Wh-why would you even _ask_ that?"

"Just a turn of phrase." Mirajane smiled. _I knew it._ "Go on. What else?"

"Well…" Regaining her train of thought, Lucy pulled out another letter. "This one- and you won't believe this- is from _Laxus_! All he says is he never knew 'Natsu had it in him' whatever that means and, 'if I'm looking for names then 'Laxus' is a good one'. What's that even supposed to _mean_?!"

Mirajane knew she had a choice at this point. In a few days, she could have everything fully cleared up with the guild and the rest of Fiore (the guild had been gossiping non-stop) about Lucy and Natsu's tryst.

Or…she could watch the fun ensue.

"Well," She said cheerfully. "He probably wants a character in your book to be called Laxus. That's what your 'baby' is, right? The notebook?"

"Uh-huh," Lucy nodded. "I swear, I never knew the guild would make such a big deal out of my writing but these past two days they've been treating me like I'm going to break at any second. Grey keeps pulling out my chair for me, Levy keeps getting me water and Erza tried to fan me the other day! I think they're just bored."

"Must be." Mirajane said lightly. Then she glanced to the side. "Oh no…"

"What?" Lucy looked up.

"It seems to be Loke."

Lucy turned, amazed. "Loke?!" It was true, the blonde Celestial Spirit was coming towards her. "I didn't call you!"

"I came here on my own power…" His voice was choked. "Lucy…why? Natsu…? Why Natsu?"

"Oh God," Lucy groaned. "Another one who's acting weird."

"Two questions," Loke said. "First one, of course: why Natsu? Second one," He zoomed up to her stomach and patted it gleefully. "If it's a boy will you name it after me?"

"Back to the spirit realm you go."

"But-!"

"Back!"

Loke glanced at Mirajane.

"It's the hormones." She offered.

"Of course. Lucy, if you need anything- like to switch daddys for example, I'm here." With a bow, he disappeared.

"People better start acting normally." Lucy muttered.

"I wouldn't get my hopes up." Mirajane said.

xxx

At midday the next day, Lucy sat writing in the garden when Natsu approached her.

"Hey," She said.

"Hey," Natsu looked bemused.

"What's up?" She asked.

"Well," Natsu admitted. "Random men keep coming up to me and patting my back and congratulating me. Loke sent me an 'if you hurt her, I'll kill you' letter. Laxus wrote to me to tell me that Laxus is the perfect name for a boy. Oh," He held up a wrapped gift. "And Zeref sent us a fruit basket."

Lucy shook her head. "People are strange recently."

"Tell me about it." Natsu dug in his pocket. "Oh, I got this for you."

He handed Lucy something and she looked at it. "What is it?" She asked.

"It's a mood ring!" Natsu grinned. "This way, I'll be able to tell whether you're in a bad mood or not!"

"So it's really a present for you?" Lucy muttered, slipping it on. "Huh, fits nice."

"I'm going off to train."

"Fine. Don't come into my apartment."

"I'll see you tonight in your apartment!"

"No, Natsu!"

"Bye!"

"Are you even listen-?!"

"Lucy," Mirajane popped her head around the door. "I made the tea and I've prepared some cakes for us."

"Oh, thanks, Mira-chan." Lucy cast a glance back over her shoulder to see that Natsu had gone. "Bastard." She muttered.

As Lucy walked back into the guild, everyone was there and everyone rushed towards her.

"Lucy, are you okay?!"

"Are you feeling alright?!"

"You need to sit down!"

"Here, let me fan you-!"

"No, Erza!" Lucy sighed, then smiled. "But I'm happy you guys are supporting me."

"Of course we are!" Grey grinned and the whole guild smiled at her.

Lucy beamed at them. "I guess you can tell I'm happy," She pointed to her finger. "Because Natsu just gave me this ring."

xxx

Natsu walked towards his usual training ground with a carefree, sunny expression.

So, he was almost bowled over by the scream that almost engulfed half of Fiore, coming directly from Fairy Tail.

"_**EHHHHHHHHH**__**?!**_"


End file.
